Antimicrobial Susceptibilities of Streptococcus pyogenes Isolated from Adult Patients with Respiratory Tract and Skin and Soft Tissue Infections in Four Southern European Countries

Streptococcus pyogenes is frequently involved in respiratory tract, skin and soft tissue infections. Penicillin is the drug of choice in the treatment of streptococcal pharyngitis although in vivo failures have been described. On the other hand, many skin and soft tissue infections where S. pyogenes is involved are mixed infections and penicillin may not be the best choice for treating them. For all these reasons other antibiotics not subject to inactivation by β-lactamases or with a broader spectrum must be considered. The aim of this study was to describe the antimicrobial susceptibility of S. pyogenes isolates from adult patients in four southern European countries as well as to test the in vitro activity of cefditoren, a new cephem antibiotic with a broad spectrum of activity 1. A total of 36 centers (17 in Spain, 11 in Italy, 7 in Portugal, and 1 in Greece) participated in the study and isolates considered clinically relevant were sent to a central laboratory located in Madrid (Fundación Jiménez Díaz). Each isolate was quality Journal of Chemotherapy Vol. 15 n. 3 (293-295) 2003

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